April 6th, 2022
Middle School Resource
In this activity, give students a couple of minutes to make an airplane and one minute to test them. Divide the students into two teams and have the teams stand at the back of the room. Ask a student a question and if the answer is correct that student gets a throw. Assign points to different objects in the room (white board = 10pts., far wall = 15pts., etc.). Each student should be asked a question and teammates can help if needed.
Related NY State Academic Standards: ESL.E.PK-1.4.1.3, ESL.E.PK-1.4.1.4, ESL.E.PK-1.5.1.1, and more!
Be sure to check out our Educational Resources, featuring thousands of activities, lesson plans, constructed-response questions, rubrics, teacher resources, multimedia, and more!
May 21st, 2020
If every day is starting to feel like Groundhog Day, you’re not alone! Stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 have left most of the nation in a perpetual state of limbo. It’s normal to go through a whirlwind of emotions as you deal with uncertainty, altered daily routines, and isolation from loved ones and your students.
Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to beat the stay-at-home blues and feel better. Follow these five ideas and share them with your colleagues, students, and parents.
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May 14th, 2020
Right now we are all doing our part to flatten the curve by following social distancing requirements. And since you’ve been home for quite some time now, you might be getting a little stir crazy! Fortunately, there are several simple, no-cost activities that you can do to boost your mood and help you feel less isolated. We’ve created a list of six happiness-inducing activities below. Plus these ideas are just plain fun! Read the rest of this entry »
May 7th, 2020
By now you and your students have adjusted to working and learning from home. But distance learning is still pretty new to us all. Students who have spent their academic careers learning in a formal classroom setting, collaborating with peers, and participating in group work are feeling the struggle of trying to remain focused and engaged in lessons and assignments from their home living room. To help your students, and their new-to-home learning parents succeed until your school can re-open its doors, share these three learn-from-home tips with your students.
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April 30th, 2020
Ever wonder how you can build deeper and more meaningful connections with your students? Ever think about how you can use technology to strengthen those connections?
A new video series produced by our partner PLS Classes, Beyond the Classroom, explores at-home learning ideas that one Buffalo-area teacher uses to create meaningful connections with her students. The series features Julie Perna who is the Gifted Programming Specialist at Forest Elementary School in Williamsville, NY. In each episode Ms. Perna shares ideas to help teachers create connections and deepen relationships with students online using social media platforms such as Instagram or YouTube.
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April 16th, 2020
Now, more than ever, we may all be experiencing some of the same feelings that young Freddie Rogers felt. Isolated. Sad. Scared. Stressed. Angry.
The life lessons that came out of those feelings though helped shape not just Fred Rogers, but an entire nation of children who tuned into his program to learn empathy, kindness, how to understand and share their emotions, and treat others well.
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April 9th, 2020
While students are settling in to learning in the confines of their new at-home classrooms, they might be missing an important out-of-class activity: field trips.
Field trips provide students with the opportunity to visit and explore a brand new space in their communities, which can:
- Strengthen observation skills,
- offer opportunities for hands-on activities,
- and provide new perspectives on their world.
Now, the opportunity to get out of the house to feel, see, touch, and taste might not be an option, but many museums, cultural institutions, and zoos are offering online events, virtual tours, webcams, and livestreams.
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April 2nd, 2020
One of the best ways that we can help our students be successful with distance learning is by looking for ways to support their parents and guardians. There are many online educational resources available, but today we’re going to share something a little different that might help you help parents.
In response to school closings across the U.S. and internationally, our partner Steve Barkley has recently launched a new podcast series called Parent Well-Being and Student Learning During School Closures.
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March 25th, 2020
Across the country and around the globe stress levels are running at an all time high. If you’re feeling stressed out, chances are your students are too. And since all of our daily routines and lives have been turned upside down, it’s more important than ever to check in with your students to see how they’re doing.
As a teacher your students look to you as a leader and you have the power to help ease their frustrations and feelings right now. Inspire and help your students learn stress management techniques that they can learn now and carry with them throughout their lives. Follow the ideas below and feel free to share your own ideas in the comments section of our blog.
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March 20th, 2020
In a matter of a days, COVID-19 has changed the way in which we teach, learn, and communicate with one another. At NYLearns, we are committed to supporting you during this time of uncertainty. In order to help educators face the challenges ahead, we will be sharing resources to help guide you as a teacher and support your students’ parents and guardians who are assisting in their children’s learning and comprehension.
In the coming weeks, look for new articles, emails, fun activities, and information from NYLearns. You can also follow PLS Classes, which is a division of PLS 3rd Learning, our parent company, for even more resources. (Follow PLS Classes on Facebook, their blog, Instagram, or subscribe to their email list.)
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